Honor to become yearly Cannes award

The director of “Before the Revolution,” “The Conformist” and “The Last Emperor” will accept the plaudit at the 64th fest’s May 11 opening ceremony, in the presence of jury chair Robert De Niro, who co-starred in Bertolucci’s “1900.”

Honorary Palme d’Ors have been given before to cineastes who have never won a Competition Palme d’Or: Woody Allen in 2002 and Clint Eastwood in 2009.

With Bertolucci’s prize, the plan is for the kudo to become a yearly opening ceremony tradition. the Cannes fest organization announced Monday.

“The quality of his work, the strength of his commitment to cinema and his ties binding him with the Cannes festival make him a justifiable first recipient,” Cannes toppers Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux said.